City of Fallen Souls: A LitRPG Adventure (UnderVerse Book 3) by Jez Cajiao (fb2 epub reader .txt) 📕

so there’s minimum people aboard. With the extra people we’ve got, we think we can make a play for both cruisers, two fast scouts, and the Battleship, and… you lucky bastard… I got word that the ‘Star’s Glory’ is due in tonight. She’s gonna be hauling ass, as there’s a big slave market planned for tomorrow.”

“Before you ask, no, we can’t damn well raid the market ‘on our way’…” Mal snapped, holding a hand up as I opened my mouth. He gave me a firm look, while Soween outlined the plan.

“There are a lot of slaves around the city. There’s one market, next to the Stockpile; it’s smaller than most, but it’s holding a dozen or so, plus the slaves that are kept in the Stockpile, and those are close enough that we can get them. We already planned for it, but beyond that, I’m sorry. You’ll have to be satisfied with that. The incoming slaves, I assume, will be stored overnight on the ‘Star’.” Soween said firmly. “Barrett is going to be busy with organizing the families, so he needs to be moving as soon as this conversation is done, as well.”

“I know. It just seems wrong for me to be out there, rather than with you all,” Barrett muttered, and I smiled.

“I know, my friend, but the families are the most important part. Without them, there’s no point to this. Protect them, and if you need to, use the Golems. They’ll recognize you.”

“Thanks, I will,” Barrett said, letting out a breath.

“Okay, what about your ship, Mal?” I asked him. “I know you want one, and I haven’t seen your team mentioned anywhere here for berths?”

“There *might* be a ship that’s finishin' up her trials tomorrow, before bein' added to the fleet…” he admitted, grinning mischievously, and I snorted.

“Okay, you old pirate. Tell me about her, and don’t worry, I won’t try to change things around.”

“She’s a new design, ‘Falcon’ class, designed to move emergency cargo through dangerous places, supposedly to keep the army supplied. She’s armed, faster than anythin' else they’ve got, save the fast scouts. She has the capacity of a cruiser, she’s beautiful, and yeah, she’s ours,” Mal said, eyeing me warily.

“Okay, I can take a hint,” I laughed, despite my sudden new desire for a ‘Falcon’ class of my own.

“Glad to hear it,” Mal grunted, handing me another sheet.

“What’s this?” I asked, glancing it over.

“Your winnings from last night,” he said shortly. “The first fight, I got three to one. Second fight, I barely had time to get any bets on, and the third, well... I managed to get five to one. The last fight was a bit better; I got seven to one on that. As you asked, I wagered everythin' on each round, startin' with that five hundred gold, so you’ve earned, after my ‘handler’s fee’, a total of sixty-four thousand, five hundred gold.”

“Holy shit,” I said into the sudden silence.

“Yeah, when you start talkin' this kind of money, it’s easier to think in terms of platinum. You get a single platinum to a thousand gold, so you’ve got sixty-four platinum and five hundred gold. Tonight was gonna to be the fun bit, because nobody carries that kind of coin around with 'em. While we could make a fortune gamblin', especially with what’s comin' to face you, we’d never be able to collect it, as the banks don’t open till tomorrow at first light.”

“Well, that sucks,” I said, and he grinned.

“It does, but fortunately you know a guy who’s sneakier than the average. I insisted that any bets bein' placed tonight must have a percentage in coin ‘on the table,’ as we call it.” He folded his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair. “We won’t get the same kinda money, but we can get somethin', at least. Also, as manastones cost anywhere between five hundred and ten thousand gold, dependin' on their size, I’ve said we’ll accept 'em in lieu of payment, provided they’re here and on the table.”

“Brilliant!” I breathed, grinning at him.

“It is, but forgive me if I’m more interested in the enemies he has to face tonight,” Augustus interrupted gruffly.

“Good point,” I said, nodding to him in thanks.

“Yeah, well, that’s where things get a mite squirrely…” Mal hedged, and I frowned at him.

“Explain,” I said shortly.

“You might remember that we said they could put in creatures if they wanted, but that you’d be allowed to field a team? Well, they’ve taken us up on that… word is, tonight, you get a beast from the Copper Ghost Gang, a team of three from the Harpies, a beast from the South Side Gang, and…”

“And?” I prompted.

“And a team from the Night’s Followers. Most likely an arena team, but I couldn’t find out more; they’re keepin' their cards close to their chest.”

“Any restrictions on our team?” I asked, and he sighed.

“Yeah, nobody over level twenty, and total level of the team can’t be higher'n eighty, so you can either take a load of low levels, or four level twenties. Same rule applies to all the fights tonight.”

“So the Harpies will only have three, at most, level twenties, but we could have, what?  A twenty and six tens?” I asked, getting a nod in reply.

“That counts almost all of my legionnaires out,” Augustus said grimacing. “I don’t like it, Jax. Maybe see if we can bend the rules a little? Get it raised to level twenty-five? I brought skilled Legionnaires with me; all but one are over twenty.”

“Won’t happen,” Mal said, spreading his hands placatingly. “No chance they’ll lift the level ban. They wanted it set at fifteen, until I told 'em there were no Legionnaires that low.”

“Who is it that’s under twenty?” I asked.

“Grizz. The mad bastard broke half his body not long back, and spent ages being put back together very carefully by the healers. He’s been filled full of arrows, stabbed, crushed, and blown up. The only reason he’s not at the highest level of the entire